Devi Lal varsity faces financial crunch; staff unpaid for over two months

Chaudhary Devi Lal University (CDLU), Sirsa, is reeling under a severe financial crisis, with over 900 employees — including professors, contractual lecturers, clerks, security personnel and HKRN staff — awaiting salaries for more than two months. As July enters its second half, frustration and anxiety are mounting among staff, with many struggling to meet basic household expenses.

Salaries have not been disbursed since May. Despite repeated appeals by employees and reminders from the university to the state government for financial assistance, the crisis continues.

A contractual lecturer voiced his anguish, saying, “Teachers also have families and household responsibilities. When you're constantly worried about paying rent, grocery bills and EMIs, it becomes hard to concentrate in class. We're already working for very little pay, and if that too is delayed, the struggle becomes unbearable.”

Echoing the sentiment, a university clerk said, “We haven’t received salary for two full months, and more than half of the third month has passed. School fees are due, expenses are rising, and in this time of inflation, salary delays are like rubbing salt into the wound.”

A senior professor and department head highlighted the broader impact of such delays: “Expenses rise in proportion to one’s salary. Delayed salaries affect the daily lives of employees and hurt morale.”

The university requires over Rs 5 crore each month solely to cover salaries. CDLU officials had written to the Haryana Government in May, requesting urgent financial aid.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Vijay Kumar confirmed that the university has sought Rs 60 crore from the government. “We’ve been assured that the funds will be released soon,” he said, adding that the university is currently managing other day-to-day operations through internal adjustments. Salaries, he assured, would be disbursed as soon as the funds are received.